The Rise of the Joust in Hartmann's and Gottfried's Middle High German Arthurian Romances

Abstract This article examines how the Middle High German Arthurian romances Erec and Iwein by Hartmann von Aue and Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg depicted and influenced the evolution and distinction of jousts from tournaments in the Middle Ages. Previous research focuses on the historical evidence regarding the development and role of medieval European tourneying and jousting in games, sports, and warfare, with little attention given to the study of tournaments in medieval literature. One specific problem in the research of tournaments that remains unresolved is the chronology and the evolution of the joust as a distinct tournament form. This article argues that Middle High German Arthurian romances Erec, Iwein, and Tristan anticipate the separation of the joust from the tourney and signal the rise of the joust as a distinct tournament form. By analyzing depictions of tournaments, and more specifically jousts, in Hartmann's and Gottfried's Arthurian romances, this article fills the gap in the research regarding the evolution of jousting as a distinct tournament form in the Middle Ages.